CC Minutes - 04/29/98 Work Session

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Mr. Meisner said that he agreed with the statements of Mr. Weinman regarding camping permitted by the ordinance, but that he was concerned that prohibitions against illegal camping in residential areas were not being enforced. He said he had received numerous complaints about such abuses from residents in his ward. He said he believed enforcement of such prohibitions should be given priority by Police and should not be done selectively. In response to a question from Mr. Meisner, Public Works Maintenance Division Director Bob Hammitt stated that rental of portable sanitation facilities used by the City in industrially zoned areas was a higher cost than that used on the parking lots of religious institutions because they were more frequently serviced. Mr. Farr suggested that enforcing prohibitions against illegal camping in residential areas was more likely because it was permitted in industrial areas. In response to a question from Mr. Meisner, Mr. Weinman said the staff recommendation to extend the ordinance until 1999 was made to allow it to be tested during summer months. He said he believed there would be different dynamics involved in camping on public streets during summer months, but that those employed in minimum wage jobs would not likely leave the area. Ms. Taylor stated that she had received citizen concerns regarding the potential of increased street camping during the summer months. She said she believed that if the ordinance was to be extended, it should be on a trial basis. She asked if there were any efforts to provide housing for homeless persons. She recommended that the Council Committee on Homelessness and Youth should seek to turn the City-owned Sears building into a homeless shelter and encourage shared housing among the homeless. She recommended that research on solutions to homelessness be conducted and that garbage cans be provided in industrial areas used by campers. In response to suggestions of Ms. Taylor, Mr. Weinman described programs seeking to deal with the causes and results of homelessness. Ms. Swanson Gribskov said that she appreciated the report on the Camping Ordinance. She requested that additional information be provided on camping in the parking lots of religious institutions. Mr. Weinman replied that 12 churches were involved, that an average of 70 people were provided a place to sleep each night, that more institutions would likely participate if the need was raised, and that he was not aware of any complaints made to the City about the program. Ms. Swanson Gribskov stated that she hoped representatives from the religious institutions could be invited to an evaluation of the program. Mr. Johnson replied that the City owed involvement in such an evaluation to the religious institutions involved. Mayor Torrey stated that there was a large number of individuals and families who slept in vehicles on Eugene streets and that he believed the ordinance was a better solution to issues related to such persons than the Centennial Car Camp sponsored by the City in years past. He said he was concerned that other governmental jurisdictions in Lane County did not address issues of homelessness in an equal or adequate way. Mr. Lee stated that he believed establishing the Camping Ordinance had been a success. He said he believed unintended consequences such as impacts on wetland areas had been properly MINUTES--Eugene City Council April 29, 1998 Page 6 11:30 a.m.